Strawberries continue to be the top-valued produce commodity in California’s Santa Maria growing area, according to the Santa Maria-based Grower Shipper Association of Santa Barbara & San Luis Obispo Counties.
As of late March, strawberry production out of the Santa Maria growing area was slightly ahead of last year at the same time — 3.4 million trays compared to 3.2 million in 2024 — according to the Watsonville-based California Strawberry Commission. Total Santa Maria production last year was 88.6 million trays, an increase from 82.8 million in 2023.
The region has 11,432 acres of strawberries this year, up slightly from 2024’s 11,385 acres.
Area growers seem to be prospering along with their strawberry sales.
Mark Murai, who signed on as CEO at Main Street Produce in Santa Maria last July, said the company has been “building a broader berry business.”
Previously a Santa Maria-centric strawberry grower, the company has expanded into other regions and is adding to its berry offerings. Besides Santa Maria, the company now sources strawberries from Florida and Watsonville, Calif., and is working to add Oxnard, Calif., Baja California and central Mexico to its sourcing locations.
The company now ships raspberries and a few blackberries, as well as strawberries.
“We’re building up piece by piece,” Murai said.
Organics is another area Main Street Produce will focus on, Murai said.
The company now offers organic strawberries from April until the end of the year and blueberries from the first of the year through May. Murai said it will eventually cover more weeks.
“Growing in substrate and growing organic has enabled us to fill a certain time period that is sought after and is a good tool for us to broaden our portfolio,” he said.
The company also is looking at various growing systems that will ensure sustainability.
Murai was president of the California Strawberry Commission for seven years and served with a number of other produce companies before taking his current position.
Pacific Coast Produce in Santa Maria started shipping conventional and organic strawberries the first week of March, right on schedule, and will continue through December, said Derrick Doud, vice president.
“Quality has been outstanding,” he said.
Strawberry supplies for Easter and Mother’s Day should be good, rain permitting. Long-stem strawberries should be good sellers for both occasions, he added.
The company offers stem strawberries and 1- and 2-pound clamshells and an 8.8-ounce clamshell.
Although based in Oxnard, Calif., Bobalu Berries grows strawberries on 450 acres in Santa Maria, said Anthony Gallino, vice president of sales.
Bobalu grows on the west side of Santa Maria, which mimics the climate of the Salinas/Watsonville growing area, he said. That means volume won’t pick up until late May or June.
The area has been experiencing warm days and cold nights that strawberries like, he said. “We’ve had perfect conditions so far.”
